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US general warns Russia may be developing nuclear anti-satellite weapon in orbit


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The head of U.S. Space Command said the U.S. is “very concerned” that Russia may be developing a nuclear weapon in space to target satellites, warning such a move could disrupt global communications, GPS systems and daily life on Earth.

Gen. Stephen N. Whiting, the commander of U.S. Space Command, made the remarks during an appearance on The General & The Journalist, a weekly podcast by The Times.

“Russia remains a very historic and sophisticated space power. Yes, they have been hurt by economic sanctions, but they continue to invest in counter-space weapons, with the most concerning reports being that they are potentially thinking about placing on orbit a nuclear ASAT weapon,” he added. “That would violate the Outer Space Treaty that they’re a party to, and it would hold at risk everyone’s satellites in low Earth orbit, and that would be an outcome that we just couldn’t tolerate.”

Whiting noted that space is considered a global commons, with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty — signed by nearly every nation, including all major space powers — prohibiting claims of sovereignty.

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Gen. Stephen N. Whiting of Space Command

Gen. Stephen N. Whiting, nominee to be general and commander of the U.S. Space Command, waits to testify during the Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing on the nominations of Lt. Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, nominee to be general and commander of the U.S. Northern Command and commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, and on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. ((Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images))

He said that differs from earlier eras when explorers would plant flags to claim land for a king or country.

Whiting stopped short of confirming the underlying intelligence, but emphasized the seriousness of the concern.

“I won’t speak about our intelligence sources and methods, but obviously it’s a report that we’re very concerned about,” he said.

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President Vladimir Putin speaking at a podium during Defender of the Fatherland Day event

President Vladimir Putin declares Russia’s nuclear triad development an “absolute priority” on Defender of the Fatherland Day, emphasizing strategic deterrence capabilities. (Contributor/Getty Images)

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Pentagon for further comment on the matter.

A nuclear detonation in low Earth orbit — which spans roughly 100 to 1,200 miles above Earth — could have devastating consequences for both military and civilian infrastructure, according to Whiting.

“All of low Earth orbit would be at risk, and you know, that’s over 10,000 satellites today with these new proliferated low earth orbit constellations like Starlink,” he said.

     
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Written by Sohit Aarya

Hello friends, my name is Sohit Arya. I share information about upcoming trends and developments in various fields such as Technology, Automobiles, Movie Reviews, and News. My content helps people…

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